Who should we avoid tasing?

• A. Pregnant women, elderly persons, young children, and people with disabilities
• B. Adults aged 18 to 40
• C. Anyone in a moving vehicle
• D. People with tattoos

Answer: (A)

The idea here is that certain populations are more vulnerable to the effects of a conducted electrical weapon, so avoidance is the safest default. Pregnant women may face risks to both mother and fetus, and safety data are limited, so taser use is typically avoided in pregnancy. Elderly individuals often have frailty or medical conditions that increase the chance of adverse outcomes, such as cardiac issues or falls. Young children have smaller bodies and developing nervous systems, making injuries or unpredictable reactions more likely. People with disabilities may have underlying health issues or impairments that raise the risk of complications or misinterpretation of responses. Because these factors raise the potential for serious harm, the best practice is to avoid using a taser on these groups unless there is an imminent threat and no safer option. The other choices describe groups where the risk profile is not as universally prohibitive, such as adults 18 to 40, or situations like being in a moving vehicle or having tattoos, which do not inherently imply the same level of vulnerability.